U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has the potential to be a South Korean presidential candidate, a ruling party lawmaker said Thursday.

Ban, a former South Korean foreign minister, has been voted as one of the most popular possible contenders, though he has disavowed rumors that he has interest in running for the 2017 presidential election.

"I think (Ban) has enough potential to be a candidate that our people would like," said Rep. Hong Moon-jong of the Saenuri Party during an interview with a local radio station.

"It is a fact that people have high hope for U.N. Secretary-General Ban," Hong said, adding that he is very much liked by the people.

When asked by the host whether he would support Ban if he announces his candidacy, Hong said there needs to be some discussion on Ban entering local politics.

The remarks were made after Cheong Wa Dae openly opposed a bipartisan agreement on a new nomination process for the general elections in April, signaling a potential power struggle between Saneuri Chairman Kim Moo-sung and President Park Geun-hye.

Kim and Moon Jae-in, chief of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy, agreed on the deal that calls for taking into account opinion polls through mobile phones when selecting candidates. (Yonhap)